There And Back Again
by FloatingAmoeba
Summary: AU fic. Takes place a couple of years after the epilogue of 'Somebody Like Us'. Lilly lays out a few home truths before taking the next step forward. Established Lilly/Scotty. Oneshot.


A/N Now I know that after 'Somebody Like Us', some of you kinda maybe sorta wanted to know what happened next, as well as having more Maddy. Well, here ya go! Just a little snapshot - it takes place around...two years after the epilogue of SLU, making Maddy about three. It's nothing special, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! :)

Disclaimer: As I'm sure you're aware, I don't own Cold Case. Anybody _here_ that you've seen on the TV show blatantly doesn't belong to me.

* * *

"Call it off."

"Lil."

"It's no big deal, right? We can just call it off."

"Lilly."

"How about we do it tomorrow?"

With a sigh of frustration, Miller stood up suddenly, planting herself directly in her co-worker's pacing ground.

"I swear to God, and considering where we are, I try not to do that so much, but if you do not stop freaking out, I am putting a bullet in your ass."

Realizing that the small stone room offered nowhere else to run, Lilly sat down heavily.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You'll be fine," Miller reassured. The blonde detective nodded, absently fiddling with the barely visible beading on the skirt of her dress.

"I know. It's just...what if he changes his mind?"

Her friend couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips.

"Scotty? Change his mind?"

"It could happen," Lilly pointed out defensively. Miller sighed in exasperation.

"No, it couldn't. Remind me how old your daughter is?"

"Three."

"How long have you and Scotty been engaged?"

"Two years."

"So don't you think if he was going to get cold feet, he would have done it by now?"

Before Lilly could reply, there was a knock at the door, and Miller blew out a long sigh of relief.

"Come in!"

"Is the bride taking visitors?" Stillman asked, his head appearing around the doorframe. Miller narrowed her eyes.

"The bridesmaid is, otherwise we aren't gonna have a bride," she said through gritted teeth. The lieutenant chuckled, moving further into the room.

"Ah, I see. How's she doing?"

"You remember when Maddy was born?"

"That bad?"

Lilly glared at them both.

"I'm right here," she snapped. Stillman turned, his eyes widening and a smile curving his lips.

She was beautiful. He had always known that Lilly was an attractive woman, but seeing her in a simple ivory dress - with her blonde hair perfectly coiled at the top of her head and her blue eyes carefully outlined - was enough to bring ill-concealed tears to his eyes.

"You look...amazing," he said softly. She nodded in thanks, smiling uncertainly and taking a deep breath.

"I can do this, right? I mean, nothing can go wrong, can it?"

Stillman chuckled, his hands resting at the top of her shoulders.

"No, Lilly. Nothing can go wrong."

Footsteps echoed along the stone passage towards them, coming to an end in a soft tap at the door.

"Lilly?"

"Hey...Dad," she said, the still unfamiliar word falling uncomfortably from her tongue. His breath caught in his throat.

"Wow...you, uh...wow."

Lilly laughed softly. "Thanks."

Turning to Miller, her father shifted his feet.

"Would you mind letting us have the room for a moment?"

Stillman felt the smallest of icy chills grip his heart, and realized that at that point, he would do anything short of murder to make Lilly's day work.

"I'll be outside," he said slowly. Cooper shook his head, glancing between his daughter and her boss.

"No, John. You can stay."

Lilly felt her heart drop. "Don't...not today."

He took a step towards her.

"Just hear me out, Lilly."

Nodding slowly, she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. Cooper let out a long breath of relief.

"Lilly, I don't know if I can give you away."

"Why?" she asked quickly, "I thought you liked Scotty!"

"I do. But I don't know him. And I was sitting out in that church, waiting to come and get you, and I realized I don't know _you_."

"But you do!" Lilly protested. Cooper caught her hands between his own.

"Honey, I missed 27 years of your life. What right do I have to give you up to the man who'll be there for the next 27?"

"But what am I supposed to do?" she asked in a small voice. Cooper looked over his shoulder.

"John?"

Blinking in realization, Stillman took a step forward. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Cooper replied, "Lilly?"

Her mouth floundered, completely at a loss. "I...uh, I...okay."

Paul extended a hand, and Lilly couldn't hide a smile as the two men shook. Her father kissed her cheek.

"I better go find a seat."

With his departure, Lilly felt tears prick the back of her eyes. "Crap."

Stillman chuckled in understanding.

"If it makes you feel better, it would be an honor to walk you down the aisle."

"Thank you," Lilly murmured. Miller reappeared, scowling down the corridor.

"Stupid fatass good for nothin'..."

"Language," Stillman admonished, and a blush crept into his detective's cheeks.

"Sorry, boss, it's just Vera..."

"Is it time yet?" Lilly interrupted. Miller looked up at the clock.

"Almost. Hey, you want me to...?"

"Mama!"

Lilly's eyes opened, her smile widening at the excited voice heading in her direction. A small blonde cannonball attached itself to her leg, and the detective laughed softly.

"Hey, baby," she said, lifting Maddy into her arms. Her daughter frowned thoughtfully, fiddling with the material of her own white dress.

"You's like a princess."

"Thank you," Lilly replied, "so are you."

"Gampa won't let me have my basket," Maddy grumbled. Lilly smirked.

"I see. You know what?"

"What?"

"It's almost..."

Mike Valens appeared in the doorway, and ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Lilly smiled bravely.

"You can have your basket now, OK?"

Mike stepped into the room, letting out a low whistle at the woman soon to become his sister-in-law.

"If you weren't about to marry my brother..." he teased. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"If you weren't already happily married, you mean."

"Yeah, that too," Mike laughed, before turning to Maddy, "Hey, squirt. I believe this belongs to you?"

He handed her a small white basket, full of red petals, and chuckled at the smile that lit up her face.

"Thanks, Uncky Mike!" Facing Lilly once again, his face turned serious.

"As the best man, it's my job to make sure that you're not about to do a Runaway Bride an' hotfoot it out the back."

Lilly attempted a smile. "Have you seen these shoes?"

Mike let his hand come to rest on her shoulder, a soft smile curving his lips.

"You're in this?"

"Yeah, she's in," Miller interrupted, exasperatedly readjusting the skirt of her dress, "stop harassing the bride. Especially in church, 'cause that's just wrong. Lilly, why couldn't I have a _different _dress?"

Lilly smirked, beginning the old argument.

"Because you picked red. That was the deal, you picked the color, I pick the style. And you look beautiful, by the way."

"She's right, you do," Stillman said, walking back into the room, "Mike, you better..."

"Curtain's up. See you at the other end, Lil."

Lilly took another deep breath.

"I can do this. I can."

Thirty steps in rehearsal. Thirty steps to Scotty.

The music – she thought it was Norah Jones, but could not be certain because all the details had been taken out of her control – began to play, and Lilly drew in a deep breath.

"Come on, Maddy," Miller said softly, and the little girl set off down the aisle with her basket in tow, dropping petals along the way.

Kat pressed a hasty kiss to Lilly's cheek.

"Go get 'em," she murmured, before following Maddy down the aisle. Now it was just the two of them, Stillman realized exactly how much of a brave face Lilly had been putting on.

"Listen to me," he began in a quiet voice, looping his arm through hers, "no matter what, it's too late to go back. The only way on is forward."

One step. Empty aisles until about halfway up.

"I can feel you freaking out," Stillman murmured from the corner of his mouth.

Eight steps. Christina and her father, smiling broadly. Were those _tears _in Chris' eyes? Lilly smirked to herself.

Thirteen steps. On the other side, Di and Marcus. The older woman winked, and the blonde detective couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculously bright tie wrapped neatly around Marcus' neck.

Nineteen steps. Ellie and Dean Manning, Tyler between them, Ellie's large baby bump straining at the material of her dress. It was a girl. Lilly's maternal instincts were telling her – plus she had money riding on it.

Twenty-five. Her eyes scanned the width of the church, seeing Kite and Julie, Allie and the kids. Elena and Carlos.

Lilly frowned almost imperceptibly. Had she left the lights on? She was supposed to turn them off. Did Maddy go to the bathroom?

"You're doing it again..." Stillman warned.

Twenty-seven steps. Vera and Jeffries on her left, Veronica in the middle. Scotty's parents, tearful yet she'd never seen smiles so wide.

And finally, home.

"Hi," she said, letting out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Scotty stared at her for a moment, until Mike cleared his throat.

"Hi," Scotty blurted, finally breaking into a grin. Stillman let his arm slide from Lilly's, and as her smile faded, she turned towards him.

With an expression on his face that Lilly had never seen before, he leant forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered. A shaky breath slipped past his lips, and as if he had just brought himself together, Stillman reached out to Scotty.

"I guess I'm proud of you too," he added, winking. The younger man grinned.

"It means a lot," he replied honestly.

And then Stillman was back in his seat, front row.

It all happened so fast. Lilly wasn't certain how she had managed to miss the first part of the ceremony.

Father Garcia, an old friend of Scotty's father, smiled around at the congregation.

"If there is any person who wishes to raise an objection, say so now, or forever hold your p..."

"Me! I do!"

"No, Maddy..." Miller hushed quickly. Scotty chuckled, looking to the floor as Lilly grinned over her shoulder.

"It would be Rush's own kid," Vera muttered under his breath, smirking at the tiny girl and wincing at the elbow Miller sent to his gut.

"Mommy no say yes," Maddy pouted, wriggling out of Kat's grasp to run to her mother's side. Lilly felt her smile fade, but at the genuine distress in her daughter's voice, frowned.

"Maddy, what's wrong?" Scotty asked, having heard the same panic. She fell into him, and as a disconcerted murmur spread through the church, he picked her up.

"I needs t' talk to Mommy!" she cried. Lilly blinked, confusion and took Maddy from her partner's arms.

"What's up?" she asked softly. Maddy buried into the crook of her mother's neck, her tiny arms wrapped tight around Lilly's neck.

Oblivious to the concerned looks being exchanged over her head, the little girl sighed.

"I no want you marry Daddy."

Lilly's hand rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"Why?" she asked gently. Maddy sniffed.

"'Cause then you no be my Mommy no more," she explained, her tiny voice lost in her mother's neck. Lilly let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Oh, Maddy."

Her baby tightened her grip, shaking her small blonde head when Lilly tried to prise her away.

Scotty watched in concern, a frown creasing his brow. "Lil..."

Father Garcia coughed nervously.

"Do we need to...?" he asked. Lilly shook her head.

"No, Father. Just give me one minute." She turned away, pressing a kiss to the side of Maddy's head.

"Baby, look at me," she said.

"Uh uh."

Lilly began to whisper in Maddy's ear.

"Maddy, I will _never _stop being your Mommy. Ever. Even when you're a big grown up girl, I'll still be your Mommy. And when you have babies of your own, I'll still be your Mommy."

Two blue eyes peeked up at her.

"Even when I got silvers like Gampa?"

Lilly laughed softly, stroking a finger down her daughter's soft cheek. "Even when you have silvers like Grandpa."

Maddy let out a tiny giggle, before frowning once more and tugging her bottom lip between her teeth.

"But what if you run out of room?"

"Run out of room where?" Lilly questioned. Maddy pointed to her heart, a small finger resting on Lilly's chest.

"There."

Lilly shifted the little girl in her arms, her lips dusting over Maddy's blonde hair.

"It's not possible," she reassured, and smiled when she felt Scotty's hand at her back.

Seemingly satisfied that her mother would still be her mother in ten minutes time, Maddy nodded slowly, the crease in her brow disappearing.

"I go back now," she whispered, her hand finding Lilly's face.

"Kiss Mommy," Lilly said, laughing at the kiss Maddy pressed to her lips, "Now kiss Daddy."

She leant forward, her small hands reaching out for her father. Scotty chuckled, and after taking Maddy into his arms for the briefest of snuggles, carried her back to Stillman.

"I sit with Gampa?" she asked. Scotty rubbed her head, nodding and then returning to Lilly's side.

"Because _that_ wasn't awkward..." he murmured with a crooked smile. Lilly once again took his hand.

"She's three, Scotty. She doesn't understand what's going on, and probably just assumed the worst."

He chuckled. "I wonder where she gets that from. The 'assuming the worst' thing."

Ignoring him, Lilly turned back to the priest with an apologetic smile.

"I'm really sorry."

Scotty tightened his grip on her hand, grinning. "Yeah, you think we could start again?"

Father Garcia shook his head, chuckling at the couple in front of him.

"I was warned you two had a tendency to complicate things," he said.

"Ain't that the truth..."

Lilly shot a glare over her shoulder, observing Vera's smirk through narrowed eyes. Scotty squeezed her hand, and she turned back to face the front.

Father Garcia took a deep breath, his smile widening.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today..."

* * *

I had a dream similar to this once. Strange, right? Anyway, you know I'm always ready to hear what you guys think, so let me know! :)


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